Recipes and Foods in Season

September

August was not too bad, we saw some lovely sunshine and warm evenings which enabled us to entertain outside.  Now the school holidays are over, and this month sees new schools for some, and familiar surroundings for others, but of course challenges ahead for us all. Autumn is also on its way, but more often than not September is quite often a very lovely month. So what can we find in season for this month, for many of us we will welcome back the Sunday roast, a meal that gathers families together around the table catching up the week’s news. 

Vegetables

Courgettes, cabbages and runner beans are available this month, together with tomatoes, artichokes, kale and butternut squash. These lovely vegetables are great for salads but have amazing flavours just on their own.

Fruit

apples

Plump blackberries are ready to be picked. Freeze and they are ready to make wonderful crumbles and pies throughout the winter months. English apples, plums and damsons will be available in the supermarket and local orchards, you may even be lucky enough to have your own trees. There is nothing better than a juicy apple or plum straight from the tree.

Meat

Venison, wild duck, rabbit, pork and lamb are this month’s favourites. A lovely roasted shoulder of pork with apples and stuffing sounds rather delicious right now. Always try something new, a different style of cooking or a meat product you have never dare purchase before, as the saying goes - nothing ventured, nothing gained. Let us know what you have tried this month.

Seafood

For those of you that love the sea shell fish and oysters come in to their own this month. Together with mackerel, plaice, sea trout and turbot. So make the most of the freshness and enjoy

Share your favourite creations and recipes.


September Recipes

Dorset Apple Cake

Ingredients – serves 8

  • 225g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
  • 450g Bramley apples
  • Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 225g caster sugar, plus extra for dredging
  • 3 large eggs
  • 225g self-raising flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 25g ground almonds
  • 1 tbsp demerara sugar

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4. Grease a deep 23-24cm springform cake tin and line with baking paper. Peel, core and cut the apples into 1cm pieces, and toss with the lemon juice.
  • Using an electric hand whisk, cream together the butter, caster sugar and lemon zest in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, adding a little flour with each addition to keep the mixture smooth. 
  • Sift the remaining flour and the baking powder into the bowl and fold in with the ground almonds. Drain the apple pieces well, then stir into the mixture.
  • Spoon into the prepared cake tin, lightly level the top and sprinkle with the demerara sugar. Bake in the oven for 1 hour or until well-risen, brown and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. If the cake starts to look a little too brown, cover with a sheet of baking paper after about 45 minutes. 
  • Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the tin and place on a serving plate. Dredge heavily with the extra caster sugar. 
  • Cut the cake into generous wedges and serve warm with a spoonful of clotted cream, if you like.

Recipes and Foods in Season

It looks like Summer has finally arrived and we can at last use our garden furniture and enjoy entertaining in the garden or even just sit, relax and unwind after a long day. There is nothing better than a sitting with cold drink whilst watching the sun setting.

Summer is a great time to get in the kitchen or cook and eat al fresco, there are so many fantastic ingredients to take advantage of and the whole vibe of the season and the sun just helps to get us motivated. So why not look for those wonderful August produces, cook some fabulous simple meals or put together a wonderful picnic and head for the open space. 

Vegetables

Salads are quick an easy and there are many varieties of lettuce to choose from cos, curly leaf, iceburg and mini gems make a good staple base. Add watercress and rocket to give flavour including handfuls of herbs. Peppers, cucumbers, green beans, peas, tomatoes, courgettes, chard and sweetcorn will all be in abundance, enjoy them while they have that summer and Mediterranean flavour.

Fruit

Fruits are still at their most fabulous, think plump blackberries, they will soon be ready to pick. Cherries, peaches, plums, apricots, Bramley apples and sweet summer berries make great snacks and desserts.  I mentioned fruit picking in July, this makes for an excellent family fun day out. The fruit can then be cooked, frozen, bottled or made in to jam. Why not have a family cooking session when you return. There is nothing better than picking, cooking and eating the fruits of your labour. A lovely afternoon tea or a beautiful Victoria sandwich filled with cream and fresh fruits or a homemade apple pie. Simple but lovely.

Meat

Lamb is still wonderful this month, together with quail and pigeon. How about making your own burgers and flavour them to your taste a great way to get the children involved both in the preparation and eating. A ‘build your own burger evening’ is great, not just with the family but when friends pop over also. 

Seafood

Fish and seafood is so quick to cook, this month cod, sea bass, crab, lobster and scallops will be at their best.  Cooked simply all the flavours will come through.

Share your favourite summer creations and recipes.


August Recipes

 A delicious recipe for you try, please let us know what you think and send us your photos

Homemade Burgers

Ingredients

  • 1kg good-quality beef/turkey mince
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • Small handful chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
  • 1 large dill pickle gherkin, finely chopped
  • 1 large free-range egg yolk

To serve

  • 1 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 200g good melting cheese, such as Cheddar, Gruyère or Taleggio, sliced
  • 8 burger buns/brioche or ciabatta rolls
  • 4 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • Avocado, tomato and red onion, sliced
  • Lettuce leaves

Method

  • Place all the ingredients for the burgers in a large bowl. Season and mix well. Cover and chill in the fridge for 1 hour. 
  • Using wet hands, shape the mixture into 8 burgers. If you want to cook them straight away skip to step 4. 
  • If you are freezing them; place flat between sheets of baking paper in a rigid freezer-proof container. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, defrost the burgers completely in the fridge; this will take 3-4 hours. 
  • .Heat a griddle pan or barbecue to hot. Brush both sides of the burgers with oil and cook for 3-4 minutes each side or until well browned and cooked. 
  • Meanwhile, preheat the grill to medium hot. Top each burger with a slice of cheese and grill for 2 minutes until bubbling. Toast the burger buns until lightly golden. 
  • Mix the mayonnaise with the mustard and spread over the base of each bun. Add some tomato, lettuce and avocado slices, then the burger, red onion slices and the other half of the bun. 
  • Serve with a small bowl of ketchup and fries, if you like. Or a healthy tasty salad and sweet potato fries.